Praying for safe and successful school year

By Jimmy Black

Published: Thursday, August 8, 2013 at 07:46 PM.

That’s why it is so critical that all of us pray for the students, teachers and administration workers as they start this new school year. Pray for safety on each of them. Pray that all the students will learn much in the months ahead. Pray that the students would make lasting friendships. Pray for wisdom and strength for the teachers and administrators. Pray for good health. And pray that each of them will represent Jesus Christ in their school this year. James 5:16 tells us: “The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much” (NKJV).

Every morning when I drop my boys off at school, I pray for God to take care of them during that day. I hope and pray that you will pray for the safety and protection of your children, as well. We have heard about school shootings in Colorado and Connecticut in recent years, and we think, “Well, that won’t ever happen here.” You don’t know that, my friend. It could happen anywhere! Just be sure to lift up everyone in our schools on a daily basis, asking God to not only bless them and teach them, but to protect them.

I am so thankful for all the teachers, and I pray for a great 2013-14 school year for them. Join me in praying for them and for all our students every day. May they take the love of Christ with them into a world that is in need of a Savior.

A first-grade teacher asked one of her students if he knew his numbers. He said he did — that his father had taught him.

“Okay,” the teacher said, “let’s see how much he taught you.”

The boy agreed, so the teacher asked, “What number comes after two?”

“Three,” answered the boy.

“What comes after five?”

“Six.”

“What comes after eight?”

“Nine.”

The teacher was pleased with the boy.

“Very good,” praised the teacher. “It looks like your father did a great job. So tell me, what comes after 10?”

“A jack,” the boy answered.

Can you believe that school is about to start back? I have two boys of my own, and it seems like they just got out for the summer last week. My oldest son, Hunter, can’t wait for school to start back. He has been looking forward to getting back in school since the bell rang for summer dismissal.

My middle son, Kenneth, however, is not like that. He could care less if he ever went to school another day in his life. He would be perfectly content never having to read another book in his life.

As a parent, I get excited and nervous about each new school year. I am excited because Hunter will be in the fifth grade, and Kenneth will be in the second grade. I am excited for all the things the boys will learn in the coming school year. I am excited about working with their new teachers. But I am also nervous about the things that could happen to my boys and the other children, like shootings and other acts of violence.

That’s why it is so critical that all of us pray for the students, teachers and administration workers as they start this new school year. Pray for safety on each of them. Pray that all the students will learn much in the months ahead. Pray that the students would make lasting friendships. Pray for wisdom and strength for the teachers and administrators. Pray for good health. And pray that each of them will represent Jesus Christ in their school this year. James 5:16 tells us: “The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much” (NKJV).

Every morning when I drop my boys off at school, I pray for God to take care of them during that day. I hope and pray that you will pray for the safety and protection of your children, as well. We have heard about school shootings in Colorado and Connecticut in recent years, and we think, “Well, that won’t ever happen here.” You don’t know that, my friend. It could happen anywhere! Just be sure to lift up everyone in our schools on a daily basis, asking God to not only bless them and teach them, but to protect them.

I am so thankful for all the teachers, and I pray for a great 2013-14 school year for them. Join me in praying for them and for all our students every day. May they take the love of Christ with them into a world that is in need of a Savior.